Opponents of the Navy’s proposed sites for an outlying landing field are wasting little time mobilizing their troops to make their objections known.

Lynda Updike, a spokesperson for a loose-knit group of OLF opponents in Southampton County, sent an e-mail Wednesday evening urging opponents to attend Monday’s Southampton County Board of Supervisors meeting and protest the Navy’s decision to examine five sites, three of which are either in or near the county. The other two sites are in North Carolina.

On Tuesday, Navy officials announced they have pared an initial list of multiple sites to five.

&uot;From here on out, we need numbers,&uot; Updike wrote. &uot;Please come if you possibly can.&uot;

She called the landing field site proposal &uot;one of the most important issues facing the county in our lifetime.&uot;

She is also asking group members to form &uot;committees to study the specific sites and list such things as Century farms, family cemeteries, old homes.&uot; The state recognizes farms that have been owned by the same family for a century or more, and Southampton County has more farms on the list than any other county.

Updike also called the Navy’s announcement this week &uot;a new start&uot; and asked opponents to compile lists of state and national representatives and to &uot;blast them all with many phone calls and e-mails&uot; regarding the matter.